How Do I Sync Only Certain Folders and not my entire library?

Hippophae
As a newbie to Zotero, I have barely begun to use the program or understand what it can and cannot do. Before I ask for simple instructions, the situation may obviate the need.

I have two accounts in Zotero: one was provided by a team and the other I set up for myself thinking I would or could use it for personal projects. I made some data collections and synced using my own account. Now, I have to begin working with the team and sync with them. After entering their login password and user name, I synced my library with their account.

Having done so, I have a number some questions. I can find the references by searching for specific terms, but why are the folders I have in my library not found in the shared library of the team?

How does one sync only certain folders and not others when syncing data collections with a team? If I could, I would just drag and drop folders into the shared library of the team after logging in using their user name and password, but I believe that is not possible. Am I missing something? Is it "groups" that allow me to sync shared data to the exclusion of personal data when I sync with a team, or what?
  • adamsmith
    Having done so, I have a number some questions. I can find the references by searching for specific terms, but why are the folders I have in my library not found in the shared library of the team?
    not sure - they should. Sounds like a sync that hasn't completed or so?
    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/changes_not_syncing
    Is it "groups" that allow me to sync shared data to the exclusion of personal data when I sync with a team, or what?
    yes.
  • Hippophae
    The syncing appears to be done, yet when I search at the team site for the title of a folder in my library, I don't see a folder, although I do see the contents of that folder.

    Ah. So how do I go about that? When I click "New Group", I am asked to create one, whereas the team already has a group. Does that obviate the need for me to create one or not? If I still need to create one, what would I need to know and do?
  • adamsmith
    edited November 4, 2011
    if they have a group - join it. If it's a private or closed membership group the groups admin will need to invite you.

    edit: It sounds like they may not have a group, though, but just use a joint account. No way to do this, then.
  • Hippophae
    Now I see the folders.

    While I wait for a reply as to whether they have a group or not, assuming they had one, what steps would I take when syncing to keep certain folders from being synced? If there is a group, does a prompt come up for me to select what get's synced with it?
  • adamsmith
    the group will be clearly separate in the client.
  • Hippophae
    That doesn't answer my question. I assume that you mean in the Zotero pane I would see a separate group in addition to my library and that when I'm logged in using the teams's/group's user name and password, only the data I have placed in that group is synced. Correct?
  • adamsmith
    you'd not log in using anyone else's username. You will join the group with your own username and password.
    All data is synced, but only the data in the group is visible to the members of that group, i.e. your own data remains private.
    There is some documentation on groups here
    http://www.zotero.org/support/groups
    there are also some videos if you google.
  • mark
    The basic confusion here stems from the fact that your team apparently decided not to go for the "Groups" feature but instead use one joint "personal" library for everyone. The problem is that this precludes people from having their own personal collections, records, and ways of organizing references.

    The recommended way to do team work with Zotero is to use the Groups functionality. That way everyone can have their own Zotero account and at the same time contribute to the group library.
  • aehrens
    How can one sync only individual folders and not the entire library? Thank you.
  • adamsmith
    see above - only via the group feature.
  • aehrens
    Great, thanks. That should work.
  • julianhopkins
    Hi, I have a similar question.

    My situation is:
    1. I have a very large library that I have never synced
    2. I have created a group to share some information with a colleague
    3. The group is online, but the folder is not in my local Zotero. I suppose this is because I haven't synced
    4. I'm worried about trying to sync everything, because it: may take ages; and, I may not have enough space online (although I'm not planning to upload actual files)
    5. I can't find an option to 'Sync group folders only'

    Any ideas of what I should do? I'm not against syncing my whole library, to have another backup, but as I said I'm a bit worried about the whole process going wrong at some point.

    Thanks
  • mronkko
    You can disable attachment syncing for your "My Library" in the Zotero preferences. Data synchronization will not take a long time. If you want to synchronize the files and data, you can just leave sync running overnight. You just need to do the initial sync once, so this should not be a big problem.
  • julianhopkins
    Thanks for the information. I did try synchronising without the attachments, but I got a message about not being able to synchronise a note - it was because I had pasted an image into the notes. I've done that quite often, so I assume it will happen often so I can't really leave it by itself.

    But just to be clear, are you able to confirm that there is no way to only synchronise the group folder and not the rest?
  • adamsmith
    But just to be clear, are you able to confirm that there is no way to only synchronise the group folder and not the rest?
    that's correct.
  • julianhopkins
    OK - many thanks for the rapid response.
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